Bangladesh consider lifting ban on ICL rebels

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh may lift their ban on Indian Cricket League (ICL) players after India offered a similar amnesty, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said.

Indian cricket authorities on Wednesday said players who joined the unauthorised league would be allowed to play domestic competition if they sever ties ith the rebel body by May 31.

"India took the decision in line with a directive from International Cricket Council (ICC) and we will also consider the same in our next board meeting on May 9," BCB vice-president Mahbubul Anam told a news conference.

"According to the ICC decision, which will be effective from June 1, the cricketers playing in any unapproved leagues will be ineligible to play international cricket, but they could return to the international level after scrapping their contract with that unapproved league."

The ICC earlier this month rejected an application from the ICL seeking approval for their Twenty20 competition.

Bangladesh suspended 14 cricketers for 10 years last October for joining the renegade league.

Anam said, however, that before being considered for the international side, a player would have to play domestic cricket for a one-year period, a condition India also put forward.

Habibul Bashar, who led Bangladeshi players in the ICL's Dhaka Warriors, said he will not make any comment until the BCB had made its decision.

"Let them decide first and only then I will think about my ICL contract," he told Reuters. "I can't say about other players because the ICL contracted us individually." link...